I'm about to buy a carry piece and am curious about opinions of the 32acp vs 380. I am of the opinion that the .32 is just as good as the .380 given the tiny platforms they are fired from. the 32 is smaller and lighter and every ounce counts. Carying in the South, MS,LA,AL, it's hot and summertime carry dictates a very small pistol, especially if you wear your shirt tucked in and clothes that fit. I am looking very closely at the Kel-Tec p32 and would like to hear reasons why I should get a 380 instead or if you approve of the .32.

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the more common question is .380 vs 9mm
as far as the .32, don't know of a lot of available defense loads. the .380 can be loaded up to +p (buffalo bore) and get performance close to a .38spl.
the new .380's are pretty darn small and easy to carry. I have a sig p238 in my back pocket right now.
just my 2 c

Back when I carried a "pocket pistol" -- a Mauser HSc, I opted for .32 ACP under the theory that there wasn't that much difference in stopping power between the two, considering the FMJ loads that were the only things available back then. I opted for the extra round of .32 ACP.

I recently "upgraded" (if that's the word) from my Kel-Tec P-32 to a Ruger LCP, which I carry loaded with Cor-Bon DPXs. My primary reason was Ruger reliability combined with the Crimson Trace laser available for the LCP.

While there have been vast improvements in the effectiveness of both .32 and .380 ACP rounds in recent years, IMHO the Cor-Bon DPX and the Hornady Critical Defense loads in .380 are considerably more effective than the best available .32 loads. The recoil is noticeably greater with the .380, indicating that the punch on the other end would be similarly more powerful.

As far as concealability is concerned, the Ruger LCP is only slightly larger and heavier than the Kel-Tec P-32. If you can carry and conceal a P-32, you can carry and conceal an LCP. If you can't conceal anything that large, your best bet is the NAA Mini-Revolver in .22 LR or .22 Mag.

__________________Violence is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and valorous feeling which believes that nothing is worth violence is much worse. Those who have nothing for which they are willing to fight; nothing they care about more than their own personal safety; are miserable creatures who have no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of those better than themselves. Gary L. Griffiths, Chief Instructor, Advanced Force Tactics, Inc. (Paraphrasing John Stuart Mill)

If I was shot with either one Center-of-Mass, it would be the most awful, heartbreaking feeling in the world. That being said, I still went with .380 even though I wouldn't feel undergunned with either one of them.

With either round, neither of which are ballistically impressive, controlling accurate follow-on shots is likely to be pretty important in a gunfight.

I fired a friend's Walther .32 ACP and was amazed at it's inherent accuracy - it just felt good in my hand. I own a Beretta 3032 and find it quite accurate - for me, not saying it would necessarily feel that way to you.

If it's possible it would be beneficial if you could fire the pistols you're considering before you buy one, to compare them and see which one seems to work most effectively for you - which one feels best in your grip, etc.

The feel of the gun and it's recoil, and how inherently accurate you are with whichever platform you select, seems to me to be every bit as important as which of those two rounds you select. Out of the very short barrels on these pistols I suspect that where you can hit with multiple shots rapidly is going to be as or more important than what you hit with.

Just MHO. YMMV.

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Grab yourself a Ruger LCP and dont look back, I'm really really liking mine. Super easy to carry in a pocket holster, or a Desantis pop-up IWB.
Practice with it - it does kick and will take some effort to get comfortable and quick shots off.

I voted .32 - mine is the P32. I require an extremely light-weight pistol and the KT P32 fits the bill. When I can, I carry larger and heavier (both weight & caliber), but if it's between the P32 & P3AT, I go for the .32 because I get 1 extra round in a pistol with little to no recoil.

The Kel-Tec and Taurus are a lot of fun to shoot. The Bersa is too big to be a pocket gun, and it's a little rougher. The AMT Backup is one ugly piece of metal, but it'll get the job done.

Now dealing with recoil: The P32 was pleasant to shoot. I also found the Taurus TCP to be pleasant to shoot with Winchester White Box - I could put a couple hundred rounds through it without discomfort. However, I put a couple of mags of Federal Hydra-Shoks through the TCP, and there was a big difference. It was getting uncomfortable.

The Bersa was pleasant to shoot as well. The AMT makes a good paperweight.

I have a Seecamp 32 and have had it for years 100% reliable and loaded with fiocchi 60gr SJHP (I've chronoed them from it at 1000fps) I feel it's a great option in my carry rotation. I wouldnt think of trading it for the little extra a 380 MIGHT give ya. However if I was buying something in that catagory today I'd be hard pressed not to get a LCP.

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rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6

Quote:

originally posted my Mike Irwin
My handguns are are for one purpose only, though...
The starter gun on the "Fat man's mad dash tactical retreat."

Every round from a pocket caliber is going to be a compromise (yes, some more than others), but mainlyas long as you are comfortable with it and can shoot it effectively. It's easier for me to buy .32 locally than .380

__________________
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The nice thing on the chart is that, per note #2 at the bottom of the chart, they attempt to list the weight of the weapons with
Empty mag
Loaded Mag.
Apparently some of the advertised weights for pocket guns accurate if you typically carrry a weapon without ammo or even without a magazine inserted.
I would not carry without a magazine full of bullets, but that's just me.

The chart claims a .32 Ket-Tel being within an ounce of a 380 Kel-tec (assuming those bullet things are counted) and size is virtually identical.

I am glad to hear that the Corbon DPX are working well in the .380. Ruger is most likely what I would get in the 380, for some reason I am just drawn to the .32. If it were an inept caliber Wild wouldn't be carrying it with his unlimited access to guns and the climate he lives in. I appreciate all the input. I'll let everyone know when I make the wrong choice, whichever it is.

__________________
"Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress, but I repeat myself." Mark Twain

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